Something must be in the water. Suddenly, without warning, wine bars are proliferating in Alexandria. Del Ray has Cheesetique’s new "cheese and wine bar" on trendy Mount Vernon Avenue. Upper King Street has the new Bar Baudelaire, tucked away on the second floor of Le Gaulois. South Old Town has the newly opened Grape & Bean. And north Old Town can boast the wine bar at Bastille.

"Perhaps it’s fueled by the rise of the celebrity chef culture," said Jill Erber, Del Ray’s famed "cheese lady" and owner of Cheesetique. "People in Alexandria are interested in an artisan approach, and that have the all-important disposable income to enjoy it."

The trend has gripped Alexandria, offering a host of new options for oenophiles. Cheesetique, for example, recently moved to a new larger location on Mount Vernon Avenue specifically to open a wine bar. Customers who make their way to the marble bar in the back of the store will be faced with a selection of 32 wines, 10 cheeses and eight beers. The space offers a relaxed atmosphere where the wine plays subtle compliment to the artisan cheese selection.

"I would say the target audience skews a little older," said assistant manager Sarah Mason. "It’s people who are really interested in what they are drinking."

ACROSS TOWN, Grape & Bean plays a variation on the "cheese and wine bar" concept by fusing the idea of a coffeehouse with the wine bar concept. Created by longtime Alexandria residents David Gwathmey and Sheera Rosenfeld, Grape & Bean fashions itself as "a specialty beverage and food retail boutique" where patrons are likely to find a wine enthusiast sipping a claret seated next to a 20-something guzzling an organic beat juice.

"People are looking for neighborhood places to go," said Gwathmey, a 1988 graduate of T.C. Williams High School who opened Grape & Bean in February. "Old Town is dying for this kind of business."

On Upper King Street, Le Gaulois has transformed its upstairs space from a sleepy private room into Bar Baudelaire. The newly renovated space features a wine list that spans the globe and knowledgeable staff to help navigate through uncharted waters. It has an intentionally romantic feel, where quiet conversation and wine appreciation can escape the noisy crush of King Street. Since opening last month, Bar Baudelaire has become a university of sorts for those seeking a crash course in tannins.

"This is a place where people can come to learn about wine," said Darwin Gomez, assistant manager at Le Gaulois. "The bartender will be able to tell you where the wine came from and how it was made. People in Alexandria seem to love it so far."